FRISCO, Texas (May 15, 2014) — The 2014 US Youth Soccer Region I Premier League championship finals took place this past weekend, as both finalists in the Under-13 through Under-17 Boys and Girls age groups earned automatic qualification into the prestigious US Youth Soccer National League for the 2014-15 season.

The National League is an extension of the highly successful US Youth Soccer Regional Leagues (Region I Premier League, Region II Midwest Regional League, Region III Southern Premier League and Region IV Far West Regional League). Automatic Regional League qualification was added to the National League format in January 2013, and two teams per age group from each of the four Regional Leagues in the Under-13 through Under-17 age groups, with the exception Under-13s in Region III, earn a spot in the 2014-15 National League season.

For a list of qualification spots and current automatic qualifiers, click here. Should any team claim two automatic spots, or if a team does not accept their automatic spot, those spots will be filled through an open application process. The application process will run from around June 10 through around July 9.

*Spot will be open as team has already claimed an automatic spot through 2013-14 National League

Teams that earn their spot in the National League have a proven track record of success in US Youth Soccer regional and national competitions, and are among the nation's best, as every team has earned its place in the league based on previous and continued success, regardless of location or club affiliation. The National League provides an avenue for teams to play in meaningful matches against top competition from across the country for continued development and opportunities for exposure at the collegiate, professional and National Team levels.

In 2013-14, the National League Under-18 age group included 196 girls and 132 boys that committed to play collegiate soccer. Players found opportunities at some of the top programs in the country, including Florida, Georgetown, North Carolina, Penn State, Virginia and Wake Forest on the girls’ side. National League boys committed to programs such as California, Georgetown, Indiana, Marquette, Navy and Stanford.

In addition to recruiting opportunities, the top two finishers from each National League division (Blue and Red) will earn a ticket to the US Youth Soccer National Championships, making each match valuable and creating an added element of pressure as players compete for a chance play for the National Championship.

The US Youth Soccer National Championships are the oldest and most prestigious youth soccer national championships in the country. Through the first six years of play, National League teams have gone on to claim 26 of a possible 38 National Championship titles. The 2014 National Championships will be held this summer in Germantown, Md., July 21-27.